Five Years
by HollyRose31523
Summary: Severus is appalled - not only by the eating habits of his owl, but also by the current DADA teacher, who, being the new Headmistress, has decided to make Severus' already uncomfortable life even more uncomfortable. This is the sequel to "Flying Dream 143", "It Takes Two", "Three Times A Lady" and "Friend Is A Four Letter Word", set in 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'.


Disclaimer:  
I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, which sadly includes Severus Snape, but I like having them run around in my sometimes twisted little world.

* * *

 **Five Years**

It was a faint noise that woke Severus from his uneasy slumber and it came from the perch sitting only a few feet away from his bed. Aragorn, of course.  
Tiredly, Severus turned to his side and pretended to be asleep, even though he knew perfectly well that the owl could not be fooled so easily. The bird was too smart. Still, Severus tried anyway. He simply had to. Just for once he wanted to sleep in, skip breakfast, even though Saturday breakfasts were usually splendid, but after a whole night that he spent over some fifth years essays he needed a bit of rest.  
To his astonishment, Aragorn didn't seem to mind. Severus waited almost five minutes – normally it didn't take that long for Aragorn to get bored and wake Severus, so he could feed him – but today it was different. Aragorn seemed happy by himself and although Severus had longed for some sleep his curiosity got the better of him.  
Faking a yawn he turned around and blinked, but Aragorn still couldn't be bothered. He was sitting on his perch, focused on something in his bowl. It couldn't be food for the bowl had been empty, when Severus had gone to sleep in the early morning hours, so it must be something else that took Aragorn's attention and Severus seriously hoped it was nothing irreplaceable.  
Slowly, he sat up in his bed, but he still couldn't see what it was that kept Aragorn so busy.  
"Hey," he finally greeted his owl. "What are you doing there?"  
"Hoo," Aragorn answered, busily, apparently annoyed about the disturbance – he didn't even bother looking up.  
Severus frowned, confused. That was certainly strange. Normally the bird came over to him instantly, waiting to be tickled on his neck – but not today.  
"What is wrong with you today?" Severus said, glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece that showed that it was a quarter past eleven already. "Normally you wake me by the first ray of light and today you let me sleep nearly until noon. Has something happened?"  
"Hoo," Aragorn said, importantly, turning his head to look at Severus.  
The bird had this spark in his eyes, as if he had accomplished something remarkable.  
Not able to restrain his curiosity any longer, Severus got out of his bed and approached the owl, who watched him carefully.  
"What is this?" Severus asked. "A new toy?"  
"Hoo," Aragorn said, proudly.  
Trying to sort out the bird's acquisition, Severus took a closer look at the bowl, only to back away in disgust, when realized what it was.  
"A mouse!" he gasped.  
"Hoo," Aragorn confirmed.  
"You brought a mouse into my chambers?"  
"Hoo," Aragorn repeated.  
"Are you insane?"  
Aragorn cocked his head and glared at Severus.  
"Hoo," he said, defiantly, and by the tone Severus figured that there was no use in arguing with the owl.  
It was pointless to get into a fight with Aragorn, since Aragorn was very determined. In addition he had the sharper claws and he was not afraid to use them – the mouse was evidence of that fact.  
"That's totally disgusting," Severus established, scrunching up his face.  
"Hoo," Aragorn contradicted.  
"Is too!" Severus insisted.  
"Hoo," Aragorn argued.  
Severus folded his arms in front to of his chest.  
"I tell you how disgusting it is," he explained. "It is so disgusting that I hardly find any words for it!"  
"Hoo?" Aragorn said, incredulously.  
"Yes," Severus established. "It is so disgusting that I seriously think about getting rid of you!"  
"Hoo!" Aragorn exclaimed and flew over to Severus.  
Softly, he landed on his shoulder and when Severus saw the shocked look in Aragorn's amber eyes, he instantly regretted his words.  
He scolded himself inwardly for telling such a lie, because nothing was further from his mind. Neither the Minister of Magic nor all the Queen's horses could make him send away his pet bird that he had grown accustomed to so much that he couldn't even imagine a life without him anymore. The mouse was disgusting, there was no doubt about it, but it wasn't nearly reason enough to abandon Aragorn.  
"Oh, well," Severus gave in, reluctantly. "Maybe not right now. After all, I have been putting up with you for five years now."  
"Hoo," Aragorn said, relieved, brushing his beak against Severus' cheek.  
"But I'm warning you," Severus added. "If you give me any grief, there will be consequences."  
"Hoo," Aragorn agreed and with that he flew back to his breakfast.  
Severus only shuddered in disgust again and left his owl to it, deciding that he didn't feel hungry anymore.

Unfortunately, after seeing Aragorn slicing and dicing his breakfast, Severus had lost his appetite completely. He still needed a break from his dull paper work, though, so he decided to go out for a stroll through the castle grounds, but just as he stepped out of his office, Severus could perceive Umbridge's shrill vice echoing through the dungeon corridor.  
"I will asked you once, I will not ask you again," she warned. "Who is responsible?"  
There was a long silence before a girl answered, hesitantly.  
"No one, professor, honestly."  
It was the voice of Hermione Granger, Severus recognized, and obviously she was not alone.  
"She's right," Ron Weasley echoed. "We only saw what we told you already."  
"Yes, I heard what you told me," Umbridge complained. "I only find it hard to believe."  
Granger and Weasley without Potter in tow was almost impossible, so Severus carefully peeked around the corner and as expected he saw Potter, Weasley and Granger standing in front of Umbridge, their heads slightly hung.  
"All we can tell you is that it was a big black bird," Weasley added.  
"A barn owl," Granger improved. "It was a black barn owl."  
"A black barn owl?" Umbridge repeated. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes, professor," Granger confirmed. "I saw it distinctly. A black barn owl was fighting with a cream coloured cat about a dead mouse, somewhere near the Whomping Willow."  
"You mean the owl attacked the cat?"  
"I really cannot say," Granger replied. "All I saw was that they were fighting."  
She cleared her throat, uncomfortable.  
"And that the owl won," she added.  
"Won?" Umbridge shrieked. "What do you mean, 'won'?"  
"Well," Granger said, slowly. "The owl ultimately got away with the mouse, leaving the cat behind and according to the common understanding that's called winning."  
"Are you trying to educate me?" Umbridge demanded.  
"No," Granger answered. "Nothing is further from my mind. I am just stating a fact, that's all."  
"Very well."  
Umbridge nodded.  
"Of course there will be consequences," she decided. "Mainly for that vile creature. The vicious animal must be caught and punished … and his owner as well. So …"  
Umbridge looked at the three students.  
"Does anyone of you know, who the bird belongs to?" she asked, her tone suddenly sweet.  
Granger and Weasley shook their heads in unison, but Potter stood absolutely still, his face expressionless.  
"Mr Potter?" Umbridge prompted. "What do you have to say on the matter? Do you know, who the owl belongs to?"  
Now Potter looked up and Severus felt a chill running down his spine. Of course, Potter knew, who the bird in question belonged to. Even he was smart enough to count one and one together and considering all the trouble he recently had with Umbridge, he would certainly tell her the truth, just to save his own skin – the truth being that it was Severus' owl.  
"No idea," Potter replied and Severus had to suppress a sound of surprise.  
No idea? Did he really say 'no idea'? Why was the boy lying?  
"What was that?" Umbridge demanded, looking around.  
Deciding, he couldn't hide any longer, Severus straightened himself up and as if he was just passing by, he casually walked around the corner.  
"Oh, Snape, it's you!"  
Umbridge's voice almost sounded a bit disappointed, but suddenly her face lit up.  
"But what a happy coincidence," she reconsidered. "I shall need something from you, a potion …"  
She raised her eyebrows expectantly, but Severus remained unmoved.  
"I trust you know, what I mean?" Umbridge asked.  
"Veritaserum?" Severus took a wild guess and instantly Umbridge narrowed her eyes, warningly.  
"Not in front of the students," she hissed.  
"But you are feeding it to the students, aren't you?" Severus replied. "So why would you want to keep it a secret?"  
Umbridge pursed her lips.  
"I only use it for very serious matters," she insisted.  
"And a quarrel between two student's pets is a serious matter?"  
"What?" Umbridge gasped.  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Severus apologized sarcastically. "I just couldn't help overhearing your conversation. It involved an owl and a cat, didn't it?"  
"Yes, my cat!" Umbridge explained. "And the culprit, who the bird belongs to, will be found out. By me! Personally!"  
"And I have no doubt that you will, Headmistress," Severus said, shooting a quick glance at Potter. "With or without Veritaserum …"  
"But these students know something," Umbridge insisted. "They are just defiant. Something must be done. So, will you please bring me some Veritaserum, now!"  
"I'm terribly sorry, but I am fresh out of Veritaserum," Severus lied. "I could fetch you some torture instruments instead, if you want."  
Instantly, Granger and Weasley gaped, but Potter didn't react at all, which was nauseating.  
"I don't want your torture instruments, Snape," Umbridge hissed. "I know how to deal with disobedient children! That's why I need Veritaserum."  
"Have you ever considered that those three students may have told you the truth?" Severus added for consideration. "Maybe they truly don't know …"  
"Professor Snape is right," Granger dared to speak up. "We don't know anything."  
"Yeah, we haven't the foggiest," Weasley echoed. "Or do you, Harry?"  
He looked at Potter and Potter glanced at him, then at Severus, before he met Umbridge's eyes and shook his head.  
"No idea," he said again.  
"Very well," Umbridge gave in. "But I will investigate in that matter. And should any of you know more than he just told me, there will be severe consequences."  
Granger and Weasley nodded eagerly, only Potter seemed unmoved by the warning.  
"Off you go," Umbridge commanded. "And the next time you see anyone or anything attack my cat, you will intervene, understood?"  
"But how …" Weasley began, but Granger nudged him in the side to shut him up.  
"Of course," she replied, tugging Weasley's sleeve, and quickly, they hurried off together.  
"And what about you, Mr Potter?"  
Umbridge looked at Potter, who still stood there as if rooted to the spot, staring at Severus.  
"You may leave as well," Umbridge said, but Potter still didn't move.  
He just looked at Severus for a moment longer, then he nodded, and trotted off, following his friends.  
"I shall go, too," Severus decided, indicating a bow to Umbridge. "Good luck with your investigation."  
And without waiting for a reply, Severus walked away, his cloak billowing behind him.

It was only a very short walk that Severus took for he couldn't get the recent conversation between Umbridge and Potter, Weasley and Granger out of his mind. For a long while Severus had been mulling over things in his head until he had finally come to a conclusion. There was no way of avoiding it – he had to speak to Potter again. Determined he turned around and straight into the Great Hall, where most of the students were sitting at the tables, for tea and biscuits or independent studies. As expected Potter was sitting next to Weasley and Granger at the Gryffindor table, nibbling on a cupcake while reading a book, but he looked up, when Severus approached.  
"A word, Potter," Severus said, quietly. "In private."  
Weasley and Granger exchanged a puzzled glance, but Potter just put down his cupcake before he stood. Without saying anything, as if he knew what this was about, he followed Severus outside into the corridor, where Severus stopped abruptly and turned to face Potter.  
"What I wanted to talk to you about …" he began, but Potter interrupted him, quickly.  
"I know what you want to talk to me about, sir," he replied. "But maybe we should take this conversation to a more private space, like an empty classroom, for example."  
"I don't think that's a good idea," Severus contradicted. "People might talk if I dragged you into an empty classroom."  
"People do little else," Potter retorted. "They are probably even astonished that you and I talk at all. I mean, I am astonished myself that you want to talk to me … after what happened."  
"Believe me, Potter, I wouldn't if this wasn't such an important matter," Severus replied. "I just need to know why you did it."  
Potter bit his lip.  
"Curiosity, I think," he then answered. "I wanted to see what memories you were hiding from me."  
"Not that," Severus said, dismissively. "Not the incident with the Pensieve during Occulumancy. That's yesterday's news."  
"I'm confused, then," Potter admitted. "What other incident can you possibly mean?"  
"Well, your conversation with Umbridge this morning!"  
"What about it?"  
"Don't play stupid, Potter," Severus spat. "You knew exactly that it was my owl that attacked Umbridge's flea bag, so why didn't you tell her?"  
Potter shrugged.  
"Maybe I am not too fond of flea bags …"  
"Don't you start with me, Potter," Severus warned. "I asked you a question and I expect an answer."  
"You already know the answer, sir," Potter said, stiffly. "You know, I am not a tattletale. You know, I don't rat other people out, especially not to the likes of Umbridge. Dear me, I hate that woman!"  
"You hate me, too," Severus added for consideration, but Potter threw a dry laugh.  
"I had never thought I would ever say that, but believe it or not, I hate Umbridge even more than I could ever hate you."  
Severus stared at Potter for a moment, then he nodded.  
"I see," he said. "Well, er…"  
Severus cleared his throat.  
"That's good to know."  
"I'm glad you appreciate it," Potter retorted. "I almost thought you might be disappointed not to be the first anymore on my 'people-I-hate' list."  
"No, I think I can live with that," Severus said, thoughtfully. "May I ask though what exactly Umbridge did to kick me from my throne?"  
Instead of an answer, Potter held out his left hand. At first Severus didn't know what he wanted to indicate, but then he noticed the red scar on the back of Potters hand, which looked like a wound that had barely healed.  
"She did this?" Severus asked, felling sick to his stomach. "She actually hurt you?"  
"No, not exactly," Potter replied. "She gave me detention. And she made me write "I shall not tell lies" a number of times with an enchanted quill."  
"How many times?"  
"Until the message had sunken in."  
Potter smiled, faintly.  
"And as you can still see, the message did sink in … eventually."  
Severus felt his lips twitch.  
"Does Professor Dumbledore know?" he asked, lowering his voice into a whisper. "I mean, when he was still headmaster, you told him, didn't you?"  
Potter shook his head.  
"No, I didn't," he answered.  
"You can't be serious!"  
"Serious as a heart attack," Potter retorted. "I didn't want to trouble Professor Dumbledore with my problems, because I figured that he had a lot of other stuff on his mind already and didn't care to bother about some student's maltreatment."  
"Maltreatment?" Severus repeated. "What I do occasionally may be called maltreatment, but what that woman did was torture!"  
"Now you almost sound like Hermione," Potter said with a grin.  
"Are you trying to insult me?" Severus snapped.  
"No, sir, I am just stating a fact," Potter corrected. "Hermione was of the opinion that Professor Dumbledore should know about it. I disagreed."  
"But why?" Severus asked. "You should have told him immediately!"  
"And what purpose would that possibly have served, sir?"  
For once Severus was stunned. Potter was right. Umbridge had managed to get Dumbledore suspended and taken his place, so what would Dumbledore have accomplished had he known about this? He had probably only managed to get himself sacked earlier, leaving the school in the hand of this she-devil even longer.  
"Exactly," Potter agreed. "Professor Dumbledore couldn't have helped me. He couldn't even help himself. And neither can you."  
"Maybe I cannot help Professor Dumbledore," Severus mused. "But I can help you …"  
"Oh, yeah?" Potter replied, sarcastically. "How so?"  
"Well, I could provide you a healing potion for that nasty wound of yours …"  
"Why?" Potter asked, suspiciously.  
"Because," Severus retorted.  
Potter blinked.  
"Is this some sort of bribe?"  
"Let's just call it a token of my gratitude for the favour you did me," Severus improved.  
"I didn't do it for you, sir," Potter contradicted. "I did it for your owl, because I'm sure Umbridge would have taken it out on the bird, even though her cat got what it deserved."  
"What exactly happened back there, may I ask?" Severus demanded.  
"Well, your clever owl had caught a mouse and that stupid cat that was too lazy to hunt for itself attacked your owl and tried to take its prey of it," Potter explained. "We saw it all happening, Hermione, Ron and me, and even though Hermione is very fond of cats and Ron is still very fond of rodents of all sorts, they both admitted that the cat was practically asking for it."  
Severus couldn't help but smirk.  
"So, all my owl did was defending its prey?"  
"That's correct," Potter agreed. "It only attacked the cat in self-defence."  
Severus nodded, slowly.  
"Well, then," he said. "That's good to know."  
"Will that be all, sir?" Potter asked. "Because I still have a lot of studying to do and …"  
He nodded down the corridor.  
"There are some students, already wondering what this conversation is all about."  
"Right," Severus said, backing away. "I will leave you to your studies then."  
He indicated the hint of a bow and was just about to walk away, when …  
"Sir?" he heard Potter's voice behind him and turned.  
"Yes, Potter?"  
"I really am sorry for prying into your memory," Potter apologized. "What I did was wrong. I know that now. And even more, you might have been right about my father all along. I just didn't consider that option. And I never had the chance to apologize for being so cheeky."  
Severus inhaled, deeply. He hadn't seen this coming, not even in his wildest dream. Nor was he prepared for it, so he did, what seemed appropriate in the situation.  
"Apology accepted," Severus mumbled. "And in return I hope I didn't hurt you too much when I threw you out of my classroom …"  
"Well, I had a few bruises," Potter said with a wry smile. "But nothing to write home about."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Quite sure," Potter replied. "My aunt and uncle never read my letters anyway. So, let's just say, we are even now."  
"Yes," Severus agreed. "Yes, we're even."  
He cleared his throat.  
"About that wound on your hand, though …"  
"What about it?" Potter asked.  
"I shall give you a healing potion on Monday," Severus explained. "Just provide me a good reason to let you stay behind after Potions class for detention."  
Potter grinned.  
"I don't know what's so funny about that," Severus growled.  
"I am just astonished," Potter replied. "Normally, you don't need a reason whatsoever to give a Gryffindor student detention."  
"Point taken," Severus mumbled. "Still … find a way to annoy me in class."  
"I'll just be myself, then?" Potter suggested.  
Severus rolled his eyes.  
"Good day to you, Potter."  
"And to you, sir," Potter replied and without another word, Severus turned and walked away and it wasn't such a bad feeling he left that conversation with.

Tiredly Severus sat at his desk, brooding, but his solitude was disturbed by a sharp knock on his door. Glancing quickly at the longcase clock in the corner that showed a quarter to eleven, he got up and even before he had reached the door, his visitor knocked again.  
Shaking his head, Severus opened the door.  
"Ah, Snape," Umbridge said, impatiently. "You're in!"  
"Obviously …"  
"A minute of your time, Snape," Umbridge demanded, walking straight past Severus. "It's important."  
"It always is," Severus mumbled, as he closed the door and turned to see Umbridge looking around in his sitting room as if inspecting a dangerous object.  
"So …" she said, slowly. "These are your quarters …"  
She scrunched up her face  
"A bit gloomy, your sitting room, isn't it?"  
"Do you think so?"  
"Yes," Umbridge affirmed. "It lacks colour …"  
"Well, I like it as it is," Severus replied. "But that's not why you came here, is it? To inspect my quarters?"  
"No, of course not," Umbridge answered. "I am here on a very serious matter."  
"Indeed?"  
"Yes," Umbridge responded, curtly. "I trust you remember the interview I had this morning with those three students about incident with my cat and that owl?"  
"Vaguely," Severus said, evasively. "Why?"  
"Why?" Umbridge repeated. "I am still trying to get hold of that damn beast!"  
"The cat?" Severus asked, provocatively.  
"The owl, of course," Umbridge replied. "Vicious animal! You wouldn't know where it might be hiding?"  
"Me?" Severus said, nervously, looking towards the open door that led to his bedroom, where Aragorn was taking a nap, and he hoped the bird would for once not seek out his company. "Why do you think I know anything about it?"  
"Well, do you?" Umbridge asked.  
"Er…"  
Severus cleared his throat, casually walking towards the door to his bedroom to close it – just in case.  
"No," he then lied. "I know nothing about it."  
With a sharp snap Severus shut the door, hoping Umbridge wouldn't pay attention, but unfortunately, Umbridge frowned.  
"What is it, Snape?" Umbridge demanded. "Why are you closing that door?"  
"I thought I detected a draught," Severus invented. "Can't you feel it?"  
"No," Umbridge replied. "But I do feel that you are lying to me, Snape. I think you are hiding something from me and whatever it is, it is behind this door."  
Determined she approached the door, but Severus stepped into her way.  
"Headmistress," he addressed her. "Beyond this door is my bedroom and I would appreciate it, if you didn't go in there."  
"I see," Umbridge huffed. "So, I take it you have company …"  
Severus opened his mouth to contradict, but then he decided it to be wiser to remain silent.  
"I only hope it is not a student, you are entertaining at this late hour."  
"I can assure you it is not a student," Severus replied.  
"Then a member of staff, perhaps?"  
"No!"  
"By Merlin!" Umbridge gasped. "It is not one of those witches of the night, who frequent Knockturn Alley, is it?"  
"Madam," Severus said, angrily. "I believe it is none of your business, whom I spend my spare time with!"  
"Oh, but it is my business," Umbridge contradicted. "As you pointed out correctly, I am the Headmistress, so I am entitled to know what is going on in this castle."  
"You may be entitled to know that," Severus admitted. "But you are not entitled to enter my private chambers without my permission."  
"So, you forbid me to take a quick glance into your bedroom to see if everything is in order?"  
"In a word, yes."  
Umbridge pursed her lips.  
"Well," she said, stiffly. "I am disappointed, Snape, very disappointed."  
"Indeed?"  
"I thought you would collaborate," Umbridge explained. "Instead, you are conspiring against me."  
Severus threw out a laugh, which was supposed to sound disparaging, but it sounded rather weak and nervous instead  
"Who gave you that idea?" he asked.  
Umbridge glared at him.  
"You did, Snape."  
"I?" Severus gasped.  
Umbridge smiled, humourlessly.  
"I overheard your conversation with Potter this afternoon," she explained. "What do you have to say to that?"  
Severus didn't say anything. A cold shiver was running down his spine as he desperately tried to recollect that conversation word by word, to check if he had said anything that could be used against him, but then he realized that talking to Potter alone was reason enough for Umbridge to mistrust him.  
"Well …" Umbridge said, coldly. "Your silence is very encouraging."  
"Headmistress …"  
"Save your breath, Snape," she interrupted. "I know all about your subversive behaviour and furthermore I know about that filthy little pet bird of yours that attacked my Fluffy."  
Severus clenched his teeth.  
"Besides, Snape, you are a Hogwarts teacher," Umbridge continued. "Aren't you a bit too old to have a pet?"  
"You have a pet," Severus retorted. "And you are much older than I am!"  
"Why, what insolence," Umbridge shrieked. "Are you trying to compare myself with you?"  
Severus threw a laugh.  
"Nothing is further from my mind."  
"I should hope so," Umbridge spat. "Because I am Headmistress, a post, you will never obtain, not even in your wildest dreams!"  
"You know nothing of my dreams," Severus replied. "But believe me, Madam, the last thing I want is to be Headmaster of this school!"  
"How dare you, Snape," Umbridge gasped. "How dare you answer back to me? Where was that spine, when you saw me interrogating those students? Why did you simply stand by, instead of admitting that this horrible bird belonged to you?"  
"As you said yourself, those where students," Severus finally managed. "Admitting my fault, if I may use your words, would have undermined my authority."  
"Oh," Umbridge said, intrigued. "But discussing your pet with one of those students, thanking him even for saving your back is not?"  
"I didn't thank Potter," Severus explained. "I just …"  
"You just told him that you were grateful," Umbridge finished the sentence. "Grateful because he didn't rat you out, you and your filthy little bird!"  
She smiled viciously.  
"That conversation might have cost you your job, you know."  
Severus gaped. He didn't want to, but he did.  
"You can't just … sack me …"  
Umbridge smiled, viciously.  
"Actually, I believe I can," she answered.  
"On what grounds?" Severus asked. "Because I talk to my students about a personal matter? Or because I show them my gratitude for their kindness? Or because I own an owl that happened to attack your cat?"  
"So you admit the attack," Umbridge established. "Interesting …"  
"I don't admit anything," Severus said, quickly. "And I don't need your approval for keeping a pet."  
"And I don't need a reason for sacking you," Umbridge retorted. "I am the Headmistress. All I have to do is to fill out the forms."  
Severus inhaled, deeply.  
"You can't do that," he said, feebly.  
"I can and I will!"  
"I have been teaching here for over fourteen years," Severus added for consideration, realizing that he was sounding a bit like Trelawney a few months ago. "Hogwarts is my home."  
"Well, from all I have heard, you own a charming accommodation in a lovely little village," Umbridge replied. "Spinner's End in Cokesworth, am I right?"  
Severus felt himself pale.  
"That is an information not commonly known."  
"But I am not a common person," Umbridge explained. "Not only am I the Headmistress of this school, I am also the undersecretary in the Ministry of Magic. I know a great deal about you Snape. Enough to have you sent to Azkaban."  
Severus swallowed hard.  
"Not after all this time," he croaked.  
"Even after all this time," Umbridge retorted, leaning in. "So be careful, Snape. Get rid of your owl … or you will be sorry. Very sorry indeed."  
Severus swallowed hard.  
"If I get rid of my owl," he began, carefully. "Will I keep my job, then?"  
Umbridge smiled.  
"Maybe."  
With that she turned on her heel and walked to the door, where she stopped to rummage through her small bag and finally produced a small bottle of perfume.  
"Not in my dungeons!" Severus said alarmed, but Umbridge just looked over her shoulder, fixed her eyes on Severus' and with a most evil grin, she vaporised the perfume into her hair.  
"You really don't want to cross me," she said, sweetly, as she provocatively sprayed some more perfume into the room. "The consequences might be … severe."  
Once more she squeezed the tiny ball of the bottle to vaporise some more perfume, then she reached for the handle, opened the door, quietly and left the room, closing the door behind her. The stench of her perfume lay thickly in the air and instantly, Severus hurried to the window and yanked it open.  
Unfortunately the malodorousness was not easy to get rid of. It gave Severus a terrible headache, which only added to his already troubled thoughts. What was he to do?

Two hours later Severus still had not found the solution for his problem. Well, of course there was one: Getting rid of Aragorn. But the thought alone made Severus' stomach turn. He had gotten used to the bird and enjoyed his company in the evenings. Besides, how would he be able to continue his correspondence with Cathy? The normal post owls couldn't be trusted. The Ministry would certainly intercept them and confiscate the letters and sooner or later someone would find evidence against him. Nowhere was safe anymore. Except …  
Making up his mind, Severus went into his bedroom, where Aragorn was sitting, half asleep. Almost reverently, Severus bushed his fingers over the smooth feathers and sighed.  
"The time has come, Aragorn," he said, miserably. "This is where our ways must part."  
Instantly, Aragorn woke from his slumber and looked up.  
"Hoo?" he said, confused.  
"You can't stay here any longer," Severus continued, trying to sound determined. "I want you to leave."  
Aragorn stared at him, incredulously.  
"What's wrong with you?" Severus asked. "Didn't you hear me? I want you to leave. Now!"  
But Aragorn didn't. He just sat there and looked at Severus.  
"Are you deaf?" Severus yelled. "I told you to leave!"  
With that he nudged Aragorn in the side, which made the owl fly up.  
"You are nothing but trouble," Severus added, shooing Aragorn to the bedroom window. "Five years I have been putting up with you and your stupid idiosyncrasies, but now I have enough of you. Out!"  
He opened the window wide.  
"Go and look for another place to live!" he suggested. "I don't want you anymore!"  
Aragorn let out a helpless shriek that sounded like a plea for mercy and it cut Severus deep in the heart.  
"What?" he forced himself to add. "Do you want it in writing? Do you?"  
With that he stormed to his desk and grabbed a piece of parchment.  
"We are done!" he wrote down. "Get out of my life, once and for all! I never wanted an ugly stupid bird, anyway!"  
Then he held the piece of paper up and showed it to Aragorn.  
"You can read, can't you?" Severus asked. "So here it is! Now get out!"  
To stress his words, he lunged at Aragon, whose amber eyes were still widened with shock and disbelief.  
"Get out, silly bird!" Severus repeated, even though he felt his throat tightening.  
He made threatening gesture and with a terrified cry, Aragorn darted down, picked up the piece of parchment and flew out of the window.  
"And don't you ever dare to come back!" Severus yelled after the owl. "Because if you do I'll beat the living daylight out of you!"  
Severus couldn't say for sure if Aragorn had heard his last threat, before he disappeared in the distance, but Severus hoped for the best and for a long while he kept standing there, staring out of the open window, even though it was becoming quite cold. He couldn't make out Aragorn in the night sky anymore and when Severus was sure that the owl had gone, he slowly closed the window.  
It was done. He had gotten rid of his pet, like Umbridge had demanded, but he didn't feel proud about it. Reluctantly, Severus let his eyes wander over to the perch next to his bed, where Aragorn would eat and sleep and brush his feathers. But not anymore. Aragorn was gone and since he was a clever bird he surely wouldn't dare come back. He would look for another companion, maybe he would settle in with Cathy. Part of Severus hoped he would, because he knew that Cathy would take good care of Aragorn. It would be a relief to know that Aragorn had a good home.  
But where did this leave him? Even if Aragorn would settle in with Cathy – would she ever forgive Severus for abandoning his pet? When it came to maltreatment of animals Cathy could be very pitiless. Surely she would not stand for Severus' behaviour and it would be difficult to reason with her about this matter. But he would have to try. He couldn't just lean back and watch everything that made his life worth living going to waste.  
Rubbing his hands over his eyes, Severus shuffled to his bed and slumped down on it. It was awfully quiet in the room. No comforting hooting, no sound of ruffling feathers, nothing, except for the ticking of the clock on the mantelpiece.  
Numbly Severus looked up, but the sight of the deserted perch nearly drove him mad, so he pulled out his wand and let the entire equipment that he had purchased for his pet vanish. It was for the better. Aragorn would not return to him anyway. Never.  
Never again he would bring Severus letters. Never again he would spend evenings with Severus in front of the fireplace. Never again he would rub his beak against Severus' cheek or nibble at Severus' hair or his ear …  
Severus clenched his hands into tight fist and grit his teeth. He mustn't think about the good things anymore. He must think about the annoying things instead. He must think about how Aragorn always demanded biscuits for his service. He must think about how Aragorn always disagreed with him. He must think about how Aragorn always woke him early on Saturdays …  
But as much as Severus tried to persuade himself that it was better this way, that he was happy that the owl was gone, for once in his life he didn't believe himself a single word. Five years – five years he had owned this bird and now it was over. There was no happiness in his life left, only a huge empty void that threatened to swallow him completely.  
Sighing about his sad fate, Severus lay back on his bed and buried his head in his pillow, waiting in dreadful anticipation for a word from Cathy.  
He didn't have to wait long. Eventually he perceived the distinctive knock of an owl's beak against his window pane and quickly he jumped up. It surely wasn't Arwen sitting outside, so much was certain, and Severus couldn't prevent his hands from shaking when he opened the window.  
The gleaming red eyes of a large eagle owl glared at him and they matched the colour of the letter it was carrying in its beak perfectly. A Howler …  
Severus had been prepared for a lot, but not for that. More than once he had witnessed a Howler being delivered to one of the students, most prominent the one from Mrs Weasley to her son three years ago, after Weasley had managed to crash the family car into the Whomping Willow. Now Severus felt bad that he had been so gleeful about the public humiliation that Weasley had to suffer when the Howler arrived. Luckily Cathy had been thoughtful about Severus' reputation and had chosen to send her Howler in the middle of the night when Severus was on his own.  
Gingerly, he reached out to take the letter from the owl, but the bird was not prepared to make it so easy for him. Just when Severus' hand was close enough, it dismissively dropped the Howler right in front of Severus' feet.  
"Thank you," Severus mumbled, but the owl was not even remotely impressed by Severus' humble behaviour.  
Instead of an answer it gave him a most hateful glare before it took wing again and sailed into the night.  
Severus hung his shoulders. Even a strange owl hated him now – and for some reason it bothered Severus immensely.  
With a sigh, he closed the window, then he bend down and picked up the Howler carefully. For a moment he hesitated to open it, but he knew that waiting would not do anyone any good. It was best to get it over with, so he carefully opened the seal on the envelope and instantly the letter turned into a paper owl's head.  
"Severus," it said plainly and Severus recognized Cathy's voice distinctly.  
Strangely, it wasn't as loud as he had expected. It didn't even sound upset – only very disappointed.  
"I received your message," the Howler went on, quietly. "You may even say: I got it. You see, I may be ugly, but I am not stupid."  
Severus opened his mouth to reply, but the Howler wouldn't let him utter a single word.  
"Let me stop you right there, Severus," it continued. "I imagine your little speech about the reasons why you are breaking up with me is very well rehearsed, but I don't want to hear it."  
Severus gaped. What on earth made Cathy think he had broken up with her?  
But then it suddenly dawned on him. Cathy must have thought the message he had written for Aragorn was meant for her! And Aragon had picked it up and taken it with him …  
Severus felt a chill running down his spine.  
"Wait a second!" he began, but the Howler interrupted him immediately.  
"Stop wasting your breath, Severus," it demanded. "No explanations needed."  
"But …"  
"There is nothing left to say," the Howler cut him off. "It's over. We're history. So, don't bother writing to me ever again. Or visit. I do not wish to see your face again."  
Suddenly Severus felt how the room began to spin.  
"No!" he choked, trying to fight the dizziness in his head. "Please, don't do this to me!"  
"Just one more thing," the Howler added. "Aragorn will stay with me. I doubt you will ever see him again, either. He is very upset and so am I. So, please, leave us in peace – and I truly hope you will find some for yourself."  
Severus felt how his knees threatened to give way and quickly he grabbed the window sill to steady himself.  
"Have a good life, Severus," the Howler concluded. "Fare well."  
"But you got it all wrong!" Severus yelled. "Please! Let me explain! Please!"  
With that he grabbed the Howler and shook it to get its attention, but the Howler remained silent. For a couple of minutes Severus tried to reason with it, until he had to realize that there was no use. It was only a letter after all.  
Crumbling the paper, Severus walked to his bed and slumped down on it.  
He had always known that his chance of living a peaceful life filled with happiness was slim to none – that one day his past that he had been running from would catch up with him – but now he realized that this chance was non-existant anymore. All hope was gone.  
"This is not a life," Severus reckoned, heaving a sigh. "This is a horrible nightmare!"  
And only a moment later he realized that it actually was, when with a start Severus finally woke up.


End file.
